TAMPA, Fla. -- The Auburn University at Montgomery baseball team saw its season come to a close as the Warhawks fell 8-7 to Lee University at the 2024 NCAA South Region tournament.

The Warhawks, under the direction of Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year Franklin Bush, turned in the school's most successful season since joining the ranks of NCAA Division II. AUM set Division II-era program records for total wins (32) and conference wins (20). The Warhawks also notched the program's first NCAA South Region tournament victory over Savannah State University.

The 2024 campaign saw AUM get ranked or receive votes in the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association (NCBWA) South Region Poll for 13 straight weeks dating back to Feb. 20, 2024. The Warhawks also garnered national recognition in the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Top 30 poll by being ranked or receiving votes for seven consecutive weeks, including the program's highest-ever ranking (No. 21) in the April 22 release of the poll.

AUM put three players on All-GSC teams (Zach Dew - 1st, Cooper Doughman - 2nd, Ryan Slaten - 2nd), which tied for the most selections as a member of the GSC), and Dew earned the program's second All-Region nod since joining the Division II ranks ahead of the 2019-2020 season.

FROM THE DUGOUT

Score: #5 AUM 7, #4 LEE 8
Records: AUM 32-24 | LEE 39-17
Location: Tampa, Fla. | UT Baseball Field
Series: AUM trails 37-20
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HIGHLIGHTS

• The Warhawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first thanks to an RH Frankland bases-loaded HBP, a Brendan York RBI single, and a passed ball that scored Cooper Doughman. 
• Lee added a four-spot in the home half of the fourth inning to jump in front 4-3.
• Ashton Thomas smoked a two-run single to right field in the visitor fifth to put AUM up 5-4.
• RH Frankland helped open up the lead in the sixth as he smoked a two-run homer to center to put AUM up 7-4.
• Lee added a run in the sixth and a three-spot in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a lead they did not relinquish.

ON THE MOUND 

• Payte Williams allowed four runs, walked two, and struck out two in five innings in the start for AUM.
• Luke Turner allowed a run with a strikeout out of the bullpen.
• Ryan Slaten (4-4) was saddled with the loss as he allowed a trio of runs in 1.1 innings with one walk and one strikeout.
• Clay Slagle finished the contest as he allowed one hit and notched one strikeout in 0.2 innings of relief.

MANAGER'S CORNER

• "This team made history," said head coach Franklin Bush. "Nobody can take that away from them. The foundation of this program was set long before we got here, but these guys got us back to competing on the national stage. That's where AUM Baseball belongs. Because of these seniors, we will be back! I am proud of the present and excited for the future!"

NOTABLES

• Rooks recorded his 26th game of the season with multiple hits and finished the year as the team leader in that category.
• Frankland clubbed his sixth homer of the campaign and recorded his ninth contest of the season with multiple RBIs.
• Thomas added his sixth game of the year with two or more runs driven in.
• Zach Dew (21), Doughman (15), York (14), and Kasey Clark (13) all tallied multiple hits as well for the Warhawks.

 
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